UCSB Scientist Discusses Gulf Oil Spill

[tabatha]

When the Obama administration announced this morning that the amount of oil leaking from the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico is far greater than previously disclosed, that statement was based on research conducted by a panel of government-appointed scientists that included Ira Leifer, a researcher in the Marine Science Institute at UC Santa Barbara.

The announcement revealed that studies by the experts have determined that 12,000 to 25,000 barrels of oil per day have been spewing from the blown-out well. That's about 500,000 to 1 million gallons of oil per day.

However, according to Leifer, who is principal investigator on one of the studies and co-investigator on another, the numbers disclosed by the administration are a range of "lower bound" estimates from scientists. In reality, he says the ongoing data analysis suggests the numbers likely are significantly higher.

.....


"This is the worst oil spill ever, and it's probably the worst ever by a very significant amount," Leifer said. "All the media attention is based on a relatively miniscule amount of oil actually reaching the sea shore. The vast majority - more oil than anyone can really imagine - is still sitting out at sea, waiting for one large storm system to blow it on shore across Gulf state areas and potentially further inland."

The scientists employed multiple methods to study the spill, including airborne remote sensing with NASA's Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), video of the oil emanating from the seabed, and satellite data analysis. Leifer is the chief mission coordinating scientist for the NASA effort for airborne remote sensing of the Gulf oil spill. He's also one of the experts on the Flow Rate Technical Group, which worked on the study of seabed emissions.

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=31863


Tragic, beyond words.

[Duer 157099]

1. How can people continue to say "it's the worst ever"

when by now, everyone is familiar with the Ixtoc?

[tabatha]

2. Try these two sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixtoc_I_oil_spill

[Duer 157099]

4. Ixtoc gushed over 3 million barrels

I'm not sure what those links will do to help me

[tabatha]

5. Some math

The announcement revealed that studies by the experts have determined that 12,000 to 25,000 barrels of oil per day have been spewing from the blown-out well. That's about 500,000 to 1 million gallons of oil per day.

How many days? 38
Taking the lower figure of 500,000 gallons per day

= 19 million gallons.

[Duer 157099]

6. 19 million gallons vs. 3 million barrels

that's some math too

[tabatha]

7. Yep, I missed the barrels.

Here is the calculator:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/25/gulf-oil-spill-how-much-o_n_588587.html

But on a per day basis - probably higher.

[Duer 157099]

8. It is a common mistake, even on Wikipedia

Ixtoc was something like 140 million gallons (3-5 million barrels).

Perhaps because Ixtoc was further south in the Gulf, maybe it's not really considered as affecting the US somehow? Dunno...

[kristopher]

9. Don't you understand?

The US is the entire world. If it is the "worst ever" in the US (and I think that is what the root of the claim is) then it MUST be the worst in the world.

[chill_wind]

3. K & R. n/t